130-Year-Old Lakeside Onsen Ryokan with a Japanese Garden in a Historic Castle Town | Minamikan

130-Year-Old Lakeside Onsen Ryokan with a Japanese Garden in a Historic Castle Town | Minamikan

Hi! We’re in Shimane, a region in western Japan known for its ancient myths and deep history. Right now, we’re at Izumoshi Station, the gateway to Izumo Taisha, one of Japan’s top matchmaking shrines. We were planning to visit Matsue Castle by train, but there’s a problem… A fallen tree has suspended train service. Oh no… We gave up on the train and decided to take a taxi. Unexpected issues are part of travel. Sigh… A taxi from Izumo Station to Matsue Castle is going to be pricey, but I guess we have no choice. By train and bus, the trip from Izumoshi Station to Matsue Castle takes about 40 to 50 minutes in total. By car, it takes around 45 minutes, so there’s not much difference. Whoa, that’s Lake Shinji, the seventh largest lake in Japan. It may not look flashy, but it’s actually well known for its scenic views. Our driver kindly stopped at the perfect spot for a quick look. That’s Yomegashima, the only island in Lake Shinji. I’d love to visit. Oh, I can already see tonight’s inn from here. The taxi ride cost 14,100 yen (95.75 USD / € 82.73). But seeing Yomegashima island made the ride totally worth it. We’ve arrived at Matsue Castle, a designated National Treasure. So cool!!! Built in 1611, this wooden keep survived war and demolition and still stands nearly unchanged. From outside, it looks like a four-story structure. But inside, it actually has five floors and a basement. The basement, surrounded by stone walls, was used to store supplies for a potential siege. They even built a well inside the keep to survive a siege for days until help arrived. Matsue Castle connects its floors with tall columns that run between every two levels, from basement to the top. This unique technique was created during the castle-building boom, when timber was running low. Another feature of Matsue Castle is its focus on practicality in combat. The bars are turned so their corners face forward, blocking the view in while letting defenders shoot at a wide angle. You could attack from here? There’s a handrail, but the stairs are super steep and hard to climb. Made it to the top—fifth floor. This floor has no walls, so you can get a 360-degree view of the town. Here’s the certificate of National Treasure status. This is where they would watch for enemies. Are there any enemy troops approaching?! Oh, I can see Yomegashima from here. These stairs are so steep, going down is scary. Matsue Castle was incredible. Thank you. Tonight’s inn is within walking distance of Matsue Castle. It’s about a 10-minute walk from the castle or a 5-minute drive from Matsue Station. The hotel don’t offer pick-up service, but the scenery changes along the way, so the walk is enjoyable. Tonight’s “castle” for us is this hot spring inn with a 130-year history. The entrance gives off a calm, traditional Japanese vibe. This inn is known for its Japanese garden facing Lake Shinji. Even along the entrance path, well-kept greenery welcomes us. Check-in starts at 3 p.m🕒. Thank you for the welcome sweets. On the left is a butter-soy sauce rice cracker with lake clams. You can really taste the butter. It’s good. This is chilled syrup juice made with local Izumo ginger. Surprisingly spicy and refreshing. Here’s a full view of the lobby. There’s a small shop in front of the reception. They have local specialties and exclusive items—a nice, traditional mix. There’s also a lounge where you can have coffee. This hotel was loved by many literary greats and well-known writers. You’ll find many literary works and calligraphy displayed inside. Even this lounge features some of those works and autographs. Now that we’ve checked in, let’s head to our room. Tonight’s room is on the fourth floor. >> Staff: Please take off your shoes here. >> Staff: I’ll place your shoes in the locked cabinet for safekeeping. We walk on tatami floors in socks. >> Staff: This is Room 403. Lake View Suite: 36,450 yen (246.83 USD / € 213.91) per person, with dinner and breakfast. So spacious. Wow! Lake Shinji is right in front of us! >> Staff: This hot spring is available 24 hours. >> Staff: You can open the shoji screens and enjoy the view. >> Staff: Your change of clothes is here. >> Staff: You’re welcome to walk around the inn in the samue or kimono. >> Staff: Once again, welcome to our ryokan. >> Staff: There’s a guidebook explaining the room amenities. >> Staff: Inside here, you’ll find Japanese sweets and ginger candy. Please enjoy. >> Staff: We also offer three kinds of tea. Please enjoy them depending on your mood. >> Staff: Please make yourself at home. This Japanese-Western style room is about 75 square meters. The toilet is located near the entrance. Bedroom with twin beds. The best part is the view of Lake Shinji. From the fourth floor, the lake looks especially vast. I’m so happy the room has its own hot spring. Let’s get in right away. The sink area even has a towel warmer. And they’ve stocked it with botanical skincare items. Basic amenities like toothbrushes are in the drawer. The hairdryer is from ReFa. That’s a nice touch. What is this? It’s so cute. Oh—shampoo and bath stuff. Having a hot spring in the room means we can bathe whenever we like. Let’s take a quick shower first, then hop in. This is Matsue Shinji Lake Onsen, drawn from 1,250 meters underground. It contains chloride from the sea, which helps retain body heat. Lake Shinji is right in front of us, and the window opens slightly. If the bath is only outdoors, it can be rough in bad weather. So I personally love this semi-open-air style. After a good soak, it’s time to relax. Drinks in the fridge are complimentary—no extra charge. The water is said to be ionized and mellowed by radium ore in the bottle. Two bottled beers are included at no extra cost. That’s a nice surprise. He’s got a cola. Let’s toast! It’s rare to see such high-quality wagashi provided in-room. They look beautiful. And they taste wonderful too. That’s ginger candy. This little white heart is adorable. But it actually has a pretty sharp flavor. Let’s check out the garden. You can reach the courtyard by walking through the first-floor dining area. It’s a dry landscape garden facing Lake Shinji. Some U.S. magazine for Japanese gardens ranked this 4th—who knows how they decide that. There are 15 pine trees planted here. The most striking one is this 300-year-old black pine. There’s a haiku monument by a famous poet. From the left, these pines represent a child, father, and mother. The big building on the left is the main wing, and behind the stone lantern is a single-story guest room. The clouds are pretty thick today. Now we’re on the second floor. Even though our room has a hot spring, I still want to try the public bath too. Maybe because quite a few rooms have baths, the large public bath is usually quiet. (Filming with special permission.) Here’s the sink and changing area. This area also has a full set of amenities. The indoor bath is cozy and intimate. The scent of hinoki wood and the shoji screens give it a traditional feel. It’s the same silky, skin-friendly water as in the room. Feels just as nice. Lake Shinji is famous for its sunsets. Sadly, it’s cloudy today, but the sunset-colored town still looked beautiful. It’s time for dinner. They have a main dining hall too. Tonight, we were guided to a private room with tatami seating. A luxurious private room, almost too spacious for just the two of us. Dinner is a Japanese kaiseki meal featuring local ingredients. I decided to try their original ginjo sake. My husband got their signature orange cocktail. Two kinds of small starters. Chilled corn soup with summer vegetables. Seared octopus with tomato jelly. Both feel perfect for summer. The clear soup is served in a small pot. >> Staff: We use Sekishu anago, a type of conger eel from the local region. >> Staff: This hot pot features local eel and flying fish meatballs. >> Staff: Flying fish are called “ago” here—same as “jaw” in Japanese, since they’re said to be jaw-droppingly good. The broth is rich with fish flavor, and the meatballs are soft and fluffy. Just a bit of chili added a great kick to the flavor. This sake is smooth and pairs gently with the meal—goes down so easily. Now the sashimi has arrived. Sea bream and amberjack. Probably from the Sea of Japan. Very fresh and tasty. Seared grunt fish with yukhoe sauce. The chewy white fish goes great with the sauce. It’s served on a bed of ice, so it stays cool and delicious till the end. Serving a full course in a private room like this must take a lot of work. Watching the guests and bringing out each dish at the perfect time is part of Japan’s traditional hospitality. Next is the summer appetizer platter. Never seen a serving tray like this before. Grilled tilefish with miso-yuzu glaze. Winter melon with seafood sauce, and mozuku seaweed with grated yam. Roasted duck. So moist and tender. The tilefish is marinated before grilling, so the flavor goes deep—delicious. The side dishes are light and refreshing—great for summer. >> Staff: This is a stuffed round eggplant dish. >> Staff: We hollow out the eggplant and fill it with steamed abalone and taro. >> Staff: It’s topped with yuzu, so please enjoy the aroma too. It’s a chilled dish. The eggplant is firm yet juicy enough to cut with chopsticks. The abalone has a nice bounce, and the more you chew, the richer the flavor. Here comes the main dish: Shimane wagyu sirloin. This Shimane beef won first prize at the Wagyu Olympics. It’s topped with summer vegetables and served with red miso and balsamic sauces. The meat is so delicious. You can taste the fat, but it’s still quite light and easy to eat. For the final course, you can choose soba noodles or rice. Izumo soba is made using a method where the whole buckwheat seed is ground. That gives it a stronger aroma and flavor. This is steamed rice with sea urchin, made with local rice. That crispy rice on the bottom looks amazing. >> Staff: It’s delicious just as it is. >> Staff: After about half, pour the special sauce with Uppurui seaweed on top. It also comes with pickles and miso soup. Shimane prefecture really has a lot of good food. Uppurui seaweed is a rare, wild seaweed. It’s super premium—definitely not something I’d buy myself. It’s thick and silky, with a strong ocean scent. My husband really liked it. And now for the final dessert course. >> Staff: That concludes your meal. >> Staff: Thank you very much. Thank you so much as well. The staff were all so kind and polite. Fruits, sesame blancmange and tea chiffon cake. Light and just sweet enough. What a meal. Thank you. We’re taking a little stroll through the garden. The lighting gently casts shadows from the pine branches. Back to our room. One’s labeled “post-dinner” and another “before-bed.” This moment fits both, so we’re having both. Post-dinner tea is a blend of green tea. Before-bed tea is hojicha with a hint of lavender. So soothing. Time to change into pajamas and relax on the spacious bed. There’s a trapped owl on the headboard. Why though? Good night. Good morning. I heard you can watch clam harvesting in Lake Shinji early in the morning, but I couldn’t wake up for it. Let’s warm up the stomach with some “morning tea.” Breakfast is served in the same restaurant as last night. Good morning! You can choose from two types of breakfast. >> Staff: If you chose the standard Japanese breakfast, it comes with salted mackerel. >> Staff: If you chose the tai-meshi set, it comes with miso-marinated flatfish. >> Staff: In the square dish… >> Staff: you’ll find assorted pickles. Please enjoy them as you like. Warm dishes are brought out after you’re seated. This is grilled dried wakame, a type of seaweed. >> Staff: The rice is local premium rice, cooked in a traditional clay pot. Starting with the vegetable juice made with soy milk. Salted mackerel from the Sea of Japan. The grilled wakame isn’t seasoned. Just placing it on rice gives you a strong ocean aroma—delicious. It’s firmer than a hot spring egg, so I guess it’s called a steamed egg instead. Shijimi clam soup from Lake Shinji! It’s so good I want to bottle it. Sea bream over rice with broth. It’s called tai-meshi. Finish it off with wasabi and a light bonito-based broth. It’s a well-balanced dish with so many ingredients. A tasty breakfast with garden and water views is just what we needed. It was cloudy yesterday, but today the weather is beautiful. The morning sun makes the pine trees in the garden look even more vibrant. The food and hospitality were wonderful. It’s easy to see why this inn is so well loved. Thank you for watching until the end. If you enjoyed this video, please check out our other videos on “It’s Time to Travel.” See you next time.

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*This video was filmed with the hotel’s permission.

🗒 How to book
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🚃🚶‍♀️How to Get There
About 5 minutes by car from Matsue Station / 10 minutes on foot from Matsue Castle.
MAP: https://maps.app.goo.gl/m3AEz5hY6FhLcV8V6

💰 Price
Lake View Suite “Kougetsu”:
Weekdays from 36,450 yen (246.83 USD / € 213.91) per person (for two, with dinner and breakfast).
Fridays and holidays from 41,950 yen per person.
*Prices may vary depending on the season and room type.

🚃 JAPAN RAIL PASS is an economical and convenient way to travel throughout Japan by rail!!
https://click.jrpass.com/aff_c?offer_id=19&aff_id=1038

⌛️ Timestamps
0:00 Opening
0:12 Heading to Matsue Castle
2:19 Matsue Castle
5:27 Getting to the Inn
5:53 Today’s Inn & Lobby Lounge
7:59 Room Tour
11:24 Private Onsen in Room
12:55 Free Drinks & Sweets
14:21 Japanese Garden
15:38 Public Bath
17:05 Dinner
24:45 Night Garden Walk
25:12 Tea Time
26:21 Good Morning
26:58 Breakfast
29:16 Morning Garden

#shimane #onsen #matsue #matsuecastle #japan #japantravel #asmr #cc_for_subtitle

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・Titles, descriptions, and subtitles are provided by automatic translation and may contain inaccuracies.
・The prices in the video are based on the exchange rate at the time of editing.
・Prices may vary with the season.
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